Folding safety anchor



Nov. 3, 1959 1.. F. LONG 2,910,955

FOLDING SAFETY ANCHOR Filed March 5, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /Laurenc.e F. Lang INVENTOR.

- 1 BY M%m United States Patent T FOLDING SAFETY ANCHOR Laurence F. Long, Benicia, Calif.

Application March 5, 1957, Serial No. 644,055

8 Claims. (Cl. 114-208) This invention relates to anchors and more particularly to marine anchors of the type for light craft, boats, etc.

An object of the invention is to provide a safety anchor which is constructed in such a way that its fiukes are adjustable to three positions. The fiukes are adapted to be held in the lateral, operative position, to be released to a lowered position easily if the anchor flukes become snagged and finally, adjusted to a position where the fiukes are arranged upward approximately and generally parallel to the shank of the anchor to make it easier to handle.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide an anchor with novel means for holding the flukes in the lateral operative position effectively and sturdily but yet enable them to be released for movement to other positions with a minimum of difliculty and by smoothly operative means.

A further object of the invention is to provide such folding and releasing means for the fiukes of an anchor which have an adjustment whereby the amount of force required to release the flukes is adjustable in accordance with the desires of the owner. This is achieved by structurally arranging the anchor so that a pull on the anchor rope that 2,910,955 Patented Nov. 3, 1959 pally the flukes and their arrangement while being held in the lateral position;

Figure 6 is a sectional view somewhat similar to Figure 2 but showing the arrangement of parts when the fiukes are moved to a new position, as when the anchor is being released from an underwater snag; and Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view of the anchor.

In the accompanying drawings there is an anchor 10 which is constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention. This anchor is made of concentric members or sleeves 12 and 14 respectively, the sleeve 14 being slidable in the bore 16 of sleeve 12. Bottom wall 18 with drain opening 17, is attached to a lower open end of sleeve 12 thereby closing that end. There are four slots 19, 20, 21 and 22 respectively at the lower end of sleeve 12 and in a small area at the periphery of bottom wall 18. The slots accommodate the inner angulated ends 23, 24, 25 and 26 respectively of the four flukes 27, 28, 29 and 30 respectively of the anchor. Each fluke is mounted between a pair of mounting ears and there are individual pivot pins 31, 32, 33 and 34 respectively which attach the flukes to the sleeve 12 in such a manner that the flukes are capable of pivotal motion. The outer extremities of the flukes may be fashioned in any ordinary way. i

Inner sleeve 14 has a support extending thereacross near itsupper end and provided with a pair of holes 41 and 42 in which loop 43 of cable 44 is attached. The opposite end of the cable has a loop 45 which is connected to eye 46 of operating rod 48. Washer 49 rests on eye 46 and is disposed on rod 48. A neoprene or other flexible and deformable material ball 50 is on the rod 48, the rod passing through the passageway in the ball. Nut 52 is is, a sharp jerk, releases the fiukes so that they are capable q of being pivotally actuated throughout an arc of approximately 180". The arrangement is such that the force required to release the flukes is varied by compressing a yieldable member that is captive in a tube so thatthe pressure applied to the side walls of the tube is varied due to the distortion of the yieldable member which is preferably a neoprene or like material ball.

Another object of the invention is to provide a practical adjustable anchor. I am aware of prior anchors which use springs and rather complex latches to serve the purpose of releasably locking the fiukes in an adjusted position. My invention, however, uses no springs and no other parts that are easily corroded due to the action of either salt or fresh water thereon. This is a practical consideration which enables my anchor to be used for a number of years without the necessity of maintenance or repair.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of an anchor which is constructed in accordance with the invention, this view showing in dotted line position, the flukes in two arrangements in addition to the full line showing thereof;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the anchor in Figure 1 showing the flukes held in a lateral, operative position;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view showing princion the threaded end of operating rod 48 and is adapted to bear against the ball 51) for the purpose of compressing the ball in order to achieve an adjustment which is to be subsequently described. Coupling 54 has an internally threaded bore 55 in which the threaded end of operating rod 48 is disposed, and an aperture 56 with which the loop 53 is connected. Loop 58 is at the lower extremity of cable 60, this cable passing through an eye 62 in bail 64 and having a loop 66 at its outer extremity to which an anchor line is adapted to be secured.

Bail 64 has two sides 68 and 69 whose lower ends are welded or otherwise rigidly attached onto the upper end of sleeve 12. The opposite ends of the sides 68 and 69 are connected by an arched cross'member 71 in which eye 62 is formed. Inwardly extending supports, for example plates 74 and 75 are welded or otherwise firmly attached to the sides 68 and 69 of the bail 64 and to a tube 76 which is held in axial alignment with sleeves 12 and 14 but vertically spaced therefrom. A slot 80 extends through the side wall of the tube 76 so that the cable 44 may be threaded in the tube, this being a matter of facility of assembly. A group of circumferential inwardly extending ribs 82 forming an abutment, are in tube 76 between the ends thereof. Each rib forms a protuberance within the bore 84 of tube 76 and cooperates with the ball 50 to form a latch to hold the anchor flukes in selected positions.

An anchor constructed in the manner described previously is capable of having its flukes held laterally disposed as shown in Figure 1 but capable of being adjusted to the dotted line positions of Figure l. The short cables 44 and 64) are sufficiently rigid to form a push-pull corinection between the sleeve 14 and the anchor rope, with the actuator 48 interposed therebetween. Accordingly, when the sleeve 14 is pushed full downward as shown in Figure 2, the outer surface of the sleeve 14 at the lower extremity thereof comes to bear against the surfaces of the angulated ends of the anchor fiukes. Due to the dimensioning of these angulated ends and the 10- cations of the pivot pins at this time the compressible ball is pushed below the rib 82 and the rib holds the ball which functions as a locking element, in that position. Accordingly, the anchor may be used normally with the loc in l en as ns b i id h rib 2 wh r by sleeve 14 is held with respect to sleeve 12 in such position (Figure 2), that the flukes remain laterally disposed of the anchor. The anchor may be lifted while so adjusted. But, when a sharp jerk is applied on the anchor rope, the locking element 56 slides past the rib 82 (Figure 6) and whereby, through the actuating member 4-8 and cable 44, the sleeve 14 is lifted, permitting the flukes to pivot freely. This is very handy should the anchor become snared and in order to fold the anchor to such position that it is more easily handled. When desired set screw 93 may be adjusted in sleeve 12 to obstruct the travel of inner sleeve 14 (Figure 2) and hold the anchor against releasing.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An adjustable anchor comprising a pair of concentric sleeves, one sleeve being axially slidable in the bore of the other sleeve, the innermost sleeve functioning as a locking sleeve, the outer sleeve having a plurality of slots near the lower end thereof, flukes having ends which are pivoted to the outer sleeve and movable through said slots, said inner sleeve in one position abutting against said ends of said fiukes and holding said fiukes extended laterally, means carried by said outer sleeve for holding said inner sleeve in position wherein said flukes are held in said lateral position and for withdrawing said inner sleeve to permit said flukes to pivot freely, said means including a tube, an actuating member movable in said tube, means securing one end of said actuating member to said inner sleeve, a compressible locking element in said tube and connected to said actuating member for movement in said tube and with said actuating member, and means confining said locking element and holding said locking element in one position in said tube whereby an additional force is required to pull said locking element from said confining means and thereby move said actuating member and inner sleeve with respect to said outer sleeve.

2. An adjustable anchor comprising a pair of concentric sleeves, one sleeve being axially slidable in the bore of the other sleeve, the innermost sleeve functioning as a locking sleeve, the outer sleeve having a plurality of slots near the lower end thereof, fiukes having ends which are pivoted to said outer sleeve and movable through said slots, said inner sleeve in one position abutting against said ends of said flukes and holding said flukes extended laterally, means carried by said outer sleeve for holding said inner sleeve in position wherein said fiukes are held in said lateral position and for withdrawing Sa d, inner sleeve to permit said flukes to pivot freely, said means including a tube, an inwardly directed rib within the bore of said tube, a compressible locking element movably disposed in said tube, an actuating rod on which said locking element is secured, means connecting said rod to said inner sleeve, and means to connect an anchor rope to said rod so that upon application of a sharp force in one direc- .4 tion on the anchor rope said rod forcibly pulls said locking element past said rib and thereby adjusts said inner sleeve enabling said fiukes to be pivotally adjusted.

3. The anchor of claim 2 wherein there are means on said rod to compress said element thereby increasing the force necessary to pull said locking element past said rib.

4. An anchor comprising a plurality of flukes, a hollow member on which fiukes are pivotally mounted, means including a second member mounted in said hollow member for releasably retaining said fiukes in a lateral position, said retaining means also. including a compressible element, element confinillg means having an abutment and mechanically supported by said hollow member, said compressible element movably disposed in said element confining means and adapted to be moved over said abutment, said compressible element mechanically connected with said second member so that said second member is movable with saidcompressible element and with respect to said hollow member to thereby release said flukes.

5. The anchor of claim 4, wherein there are means engaging said element to selectively compress and expand said compressible element operatively connected with said compressible element to adjust the force required in order to move said element past said abutment.

6. An anchor comprising a first member and a second member movably connected with each other, plurality of pivoted flukes movably connected to said first member, means including said second member for holding said flukes in an extended position and for releasing said flukes so that they are capable of moving relative to said first member, said means including a compressible element connected with said second member, a tube carried by said first member and in which said element is movably disposed, and an inwardly directed abutment in said tube to releasably hold said compressible element until released by a sharp pull in response to which second member is moved relative to said first'rnember and said flukes are released. i

7. The anchor of claim 6 wherein said means for holding said fiukes in an extended position and for releasing said flukes further include a single anchor rope for lift ing and lowering the anchor and also for applying said sharp pull to said compressible element and move said compressible element past said abutment, and means for mechanically connecting said anchor rope to said corn pressible elementi V 8. In an anchor which includes movable fiukes, means for supporting said flukes for movement, means for holding said fiukes in extended position; the improvement comprising means for operating saidflukes holding means and including a compressible element, means for constraining the mover nent of said compressible element and within which said compressible element is confined, a single anchor rope attaching structure connected with said compressible element and to which a single anchor rope is adapted to be secured for both lifting the anchor and for moving said compressible element, an abutment in the path of movement of said compressible element to impede the movement of said compressible element when said compressible element is moved in one direction, and said compressible element being movable past said abutment in response to additional pulling thereon by said structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED AT S. PATE S 2,540,867 Douglas Feb. 6, 1951 

